Media
Media
Thank you for your interest in Abingdon and Southwest Virginia!
Visit Abingdon Virginia is happy to provide assistance to qualified journalists working on assignment. We can facilitate your visit to Abingdon, create a custom itinerary, arrange interviews, and provide access to our key attractions.
Due to budget limitations, we are not able to fulfill all of the requests we get for press trips. To be considered, please email your request, including the name of the publication(s) you are working for, circulation numbers or unique website visits per month, links to recently published travel stories, and the dates you will be traveling.
Please note, accommodations are subject to availability, and blackout dates may apply.
For information on press trips and other media inquiries, contact Chad Thompson, Marketing & Events Manager.
Abingdon Highlights
Visitors who come to this picturesque Blue Ridge Mountain town are typically looking for some serious play time. Whether the play is on stage at The Barter Theatre, the state theatre of Virginia, or in the great outdoor playground of the Blue Ridge Mountains, its always play time somewhere in town.
Starting in downtown Abingdon, the The Virginia Creeper Trail owes its unusual name to the old steam engines that slowly labored up the steep mountain grades with heavy loads of lumber and iron ore. The multi-purpose trail runs along a railroad right-of-way that dates back to the 1880s. Today, it is widely considered one of the finest rails-to-trails examples in the east. The trail is used by walkers, runners, horseback riders and lots of bikers. Access is easy: numerous bike rental shops will shuttle riders to the highest point on the trail for a modest fee. The easy downhill ride and awesome views of the Mount Rogers area make The Virginia Creeper Trail a family favorite.
Biking or hiking the Creeper Trail is just one of many ways to play in the outdoors in the Abingdon area. The Appalachian Trail through the nearby Mount Rogers National Recreation Area offers some of the most unique terrain in Virginia with wild ponies grazing on the grassy bald knobs and views that extend all the way into North Carolina. In the area, you'll also find world class fly fishing, rock climbing, and enchanting natural beauty.
People come from all over the United States to see a performance at the famous Barter Theatre. When it first opened its doors during the Great Depression, patrons could buy a ticket by bartering produce or livestock. The theatre became known as a launching pad for rising stars like Gregory Peck, Patricia Neal, Ernest Borgnine, or Ned Beatty. Eight decades later, this professional theatre performs year-round in two unique venues, and is still the epicenter of Abingdon's cultural life.
For those whose idea of play time includes shopping, nightlife or live music, fun is always on tap. Main Street and the historic downtown district are filled with unique shops and galleries. A craft beer brewery and winery are nearby.Abingdon offers culinary adventures as well, with a food scene that is rooted in Appalachian traditions. Mountain trout, stone ground grits, heirloom apples and pastured pork products are all on the menu at Abingdon's restaurants.
Recent Press and Accolades
- Abingdon named one of the 10 Best Southern Small Towns by USA Today
- Abingdon named one of the 50 Best Small Towns in the South by Garden & Gun (#13)
- USA Today's Best Small Town Food Scene 2019-2022 (2nd place 2023)
- The cultural documentary "Barter Theatre: Trading Ham for Hamlet", produced by Blue Ridge PBS, has received a 2014 regional Emmy Award.
- The Virginia Creeper Trail is an official inductee of the National Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.
- Abingdon, VA named one of the Southeast's "Top Adventure Towns of 2018" by Blue Ridge Outdoors.
- "Bright Lights, Small Town," travel profile in Virginia Living
- America's 20 Most Charming Small Towns on MSN Lifestyle
